I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.
I don't foresee a need to cut screw threads bt I may also
need a small milling machine later, if things work out.

General comments like "avoid machines with plastic gears"
won't be much help, but if you do know specific brands/models
are good, or should be avoided that would be very helpful.

I don't want to go mad and if it's going to cost more than
say, 5-600 pounds I'd probably contract the work out.

with thanks
Pete
--
.................................................. .........................
.. never trust a man who, when left alone ...... Pete Lynch .
.. in a room with a tea cosy ...... Marlow, England .
.. doesn't try it on (Billy Connolly) .....................................

Peter Lynch wrote:
I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.
I don't foresee a need to cut screw threads bt I may also
need a small milling machine later, if things work out.

General comments like "avoid machines with plastic gears"
won't be much help, but if you do know specific brands/models
are good, or should be avoided that would be very helpful.

I don't want to go mad and if it's going to cost more than
say, 5-600 pounds I'd probably contract the work out.

I've always been fond of my mate's Myford (Super 7). I'm sure somebody here
will have experience of others.
I notice there are a few Myfords on ebay, and reasonably priced too.

This subject has been discussed at length over at uk.rec.models.engineering.

Have a look at this thread.

http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showt...t=460740&pp=15


Archie

"Peter Lynch" wrote in message
...

I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.
I don't foresee a need to cut screw threads bt I may also
need a small milling machine later, if things work out.

General comments like "avoid machines with plastic gears"
won't be much help, but if you do know specific brands/models
are good, or should be avoided that would be very helpful.

I don't want to go mad and if it's going to cost more than
say, 5-600 pounds I'd probably contract the work out.

with thanks
Pete
--
.................................................. ........................
. never trust a man who, when left alone ...... Pete Lynch .
. in a room with a tea cosy ...... Marlow, England .
. doesn't try it on (Billy Connolly) .....................................

Peter Lynch wrote in message
...

I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.

You may find this page interesting
http://www.enuii.com/chinese_lathe/
or a Myford on Ebay
http://tinyurl.com/etove

picture of my smallest Lathe :-)
http://tinyurl.com/fhrps




-

Peter Lynch wrote:
I'm considering getting a small lathe

Lathes are practically free, tooling costs money. Remember this when
appraising S/H lathes and when looking at the "bargain prices" on new
ones.

Myfords are fought over by the Duffers and the prices are insane.
They're also too small.

Boxfords were almost all bought by schools, who killed them.

'60s Colchesters are the best deal around, if you have the space and
maybe the 3 phase.

Machine Mart sell one of the worst-designed lathes around (the blue
thing, with optional milling head). They also sell the little yellow
jobbie, which is small, but not bad really.

Emco aren't bad, if you have to buy new.

Milling heads aren't as much use as you'd hope. The sort mounted behind
the bed are of some little use, the sort (like Machine Mart's) driven
from the headstock are useless, as they can't reach past the chuck.

Peter Lynch wrote:
I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.
I don't foresee a need to cut screw threads bt I may also
need a small milling machine later, if things work out.

General comments like "avoid machines with plastic gears"
won't be much help, but if you do know specific brands/models
are good, or should be avoided that would be very helpful.

I don't want to go mad and if it's going to cost more than
say, 5-600 pounds I'd probably contract the work out.

Take a look at the axminster BV20
http://www.axminster.co.uk/recno/1/p...the-364774.htm

I looked closely at them when I was thinking of getting a lathe (didn't
in the end, change of plans). IMO they're very good for the price - easy
to adjust, V beds, lots of nice features for the price.

--
Grunff

"Grumps" wrote in message
...
Peter Lynch wrote:
I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.
I don't foresee a need to cut screw threads bt I may also
need a small milling machine later, if things work out.

General comments like "avoid machines with plastic gears"
won't be much help, but if you do know specific brands/models
are good, or should be avoided that would be very helpful.

I don't want to go mad and if it's going to cost more than
say, 5-600 pounds I'd probably contract the work out.

I've always been fond of my mate's Myford (Super 7). I'm sure somebody
here will have experience of others.
I notice there are a few Myfords on ebay, and reasonably priced too.

With a potential future need for milling, I would suggest the Myford CL7
instead of the Super 7. It has a longer bed, to take the capstan, which
makes the milling attachment easier to use. Having said that, I am not
greatly impressed by the capabilities of lathe mounted milling attachments.

Colin Bignell

In message , Peter Lynch
writes

I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.
I don't foresee a need to cut screw threads bt I may also
need a small milling machine later, if things work out.

General comments like "avoid machines with plastic gears"
won't be much help, but if you do know specific brands/models
are good, or should be avoided that would be very helpful.

I don't want to go mad and if it's going to cost more than
say, 5-600 pounds I'd probably contract the work out.

I bought one which has a mill on it for about £500 from machine Mart

--
geoff

In message . com,
writes
Peter Lynch wrote:
I'm considering getting a small lathe

Lathes are practically free, tooling costs money. Remember this when
appraising S/H lathes and when looking at the "bargain prices" on new
ones.

Myfords are fought over by the Duffers and the prices are insane.
They're also too small.

Boxfords were almost all bought by schools, who killed them.

'60s Colchesters are the best deal around, if you have the space and
maybe the 3 phase.

Machine Mart sell one of the worst-designed lathes around (the blue
thing, with optional milling head).


Thats what I have - good enough if you don't want to do anything too
clever

I bought mine with the VAT back and "regulars discount"

so £500 out and out price

--
geoff

On Thu, 02 Mar 2006 22:49:43 GMT, raden wrote:

In message , Peter Lynch
writes

I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.
I don't foresee a need to cut screw threads bt I may also
need a small milling machine later, if things work out.

General comments like "avoid machines with plastic gears"
won't be much help, but if you do know specific brands/models
are good, or should be avoided that would be very helpful.

I don't want to go mad and if it's going to cost more than
say, 5-600 pounds I'd probably contract the work out.

I bought one which has a mill on it for about £500 from machine Mart

I've casually looked at Machine Mart's stuff, and haven't been
over-impressed with the speed control gear, consisting of an on-off
switch/volume control reminiscent of 1960s transistor radios :-)

I have a Myford Speed 10 with which I'm reasonably happy, having
"graduated" from an ML10 a while ago. It doesn't have a specific
milling facility - I've never really needed that, but I've never been
too keen on the idea of multi-function machines anyway.

--
Frank Erskine
Sunderland

"Peter Lynch" wrote in message
...

I'm considering getting a small lathe to turn out some
smallish (5 - 10 cm long, 3-4cm wide) custom parts in
aluminium strictly on a "hobbyist" basis.
I don't foresee a need to cut screw threads bt I may also
need a small milling machine later, if things work out.

General comments like "avoid machines with plastic gears"
won't be much help, but if you do know specific brands/models
are good, or should be avoided that would be very helpful.

I don't want to go mad and if it's going to cost more than
say, 5-600 pounds I'd probably contract the work out.

I have a Clarke CL300M lathe, which isn't bad, but it doesn't have a milling
facility.